Air conditioning apparatus



A ril 13, 1937- R. D. MATTESON ET AL 2,076,660

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Apr. 13, 1937 AIR. CONDITIONING APPARATUS Ralph D. Matteson, Boise, and William B. Thomas, Parma, Idaho Application November 18, 1935, Serial No. 50,438

2 Claims. (Cl. 261-92) Figure 1 is an end elevational view of an air of motor I is suitably coupled as at IS with one conditioning apparatus embodying the present end of a horizontal shaft ll, also arranged coinciinvention. dent with the longitudinal axis of easing l and Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view provided with a plurality of fan blades l8 and I9.

thereof taken on line of gure 1. An air conditioning apparatus of relatively small Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of capacity may be provided with a single set of Fi ure 2. blades arranged in two series as shown in Figure Figure 4 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 4, or additional sets of blades may be provided for of a modified form of the invention; and apparatus of greater capacity as suggested in Fig- Fi ure 5 i an nla fra m ntary section on ure 2. Otherwise, both forms of the invention line 5-5 of Figure 3, with the bottom water pan illustrated are similar. It will be noted that the or receptacle omitted. fan blades of each set include a series at l8 and Referring more in detail to the drawings, the a series at I!) with those of one series staggered present invention includes a shallow elongated in relation to those of the other series. Also, the

a r Da p c ei having laterally blades of one series may be of different size than 40 r e d en r l l n itudinal top p nin and pr those of the other series, the blades 19 being illusided along e Side a d ends of t Ope trated as shorter than the blades l8. w a p n n l r flan e 6- Suita ly In the embodiment of Figure 2, it will be necesmounted upon the bottom water pan or receptacle sary to support the forward end of shaft 1. a d

5 is another horizontal Open-ended Casing 7 for this purpose we provide an upright or standhaving a bottom longitudinal opening registered ard 20 having a bearing 2| at its upper end in t t t p p nin of wat r pan or r ptacle 5. which the forward end of shaft I1 is journaled, The casing I is preferably of cylindrical form, and the lower end of standard 20 being secured to a is provided along the sides and ends of its bottom' plate-like cross piece 22 secured upon and conopening with a flange 8 projecting into the top necting the side rails of the frame l2. Each 50 opening of water pan or receptacle 5, so that set of fan blades is carried by a hub 23, and the any excess moisture which finds its way onto the end of this hub at the intake side of the blade is walls of casing I will ultimately drain backinto provided with a pulley 24 around which passes the water pan or receptacle 5 for re-use. The an endless belt. 25. Belt 25 extends downwardly casing I is provided at its intake end with a through the bottom opening of easing 1 and the 55 This invention relates to an improved air conditioning apparatus adapted for moistening and cooling the air in or supplied to rooms or other enclosures.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatus of the above kind which is very simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved air conditioning apparatus of the above kind having simple and efficient means for elevating water from a bottom water pan or receptacle into an upper horizontal openended casing, and means for causing a rapid fiow of air through the casing and for breaking the water up into fine particles and centrifugally throwing it in all directions outwardly against the walls of the open-ended casing, so as to thoroughly cool and h'umidify the air flowing through such open-ended casing.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with 5 the accompanying drawings, in which:

foraminous covering preferably in the form of a removable screen 9. At its discharge end, the casing l is provided with another foraminous covering in the form of a removable screen Ill whose foraminous wall is lined with a layer of metal wool II. This layer of metal wool ll acts to extract excess moisture from the air as it is discharged from the casing i, particularly excess moisture in the nature of unduly large size or quantity in the nature of droplets. moisture, being extracted from the air at the inner side of the screen I0, will ultimately drain back into the water pan or receptacle 5.

Seated on the angular depending flange 6 of the water pan or receptacle 5, is an elongated 5 rectangular open frame l2, preferably constructed of angle iron. The side members or rails of this frame l2 are connected near one end of the frame by means of a plate-like cross piece I3 This excess 10 forming a support upon which rests the base 20 M of an electric motor I5. In this way, the motor 15 is supported within the intake end of casing I with its power or armature shaft substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of casing I. The inner or forward end of the armature shaft 10 spindle 5 includes a T-shape support 21 whose cross member is secured upon and connects the side rails of frame l2, the intermediate member or leg of said T-shape support depending into the pan or receptacle 5 and provided at its lower end with a 28 on which the pulley 26 is journaled. As indicated more clearly in Figure 5, the spindle 28 is vertically adjustable so as to properly tension the associated belt 25.

In operation, the motor i5 is suitably rendered aovaeec ,ly connected to said motor, a pulley rotatable with said shaft, a belt passing around said pulleys for pan into said a horizontal open-ended casing removably tact the fllm of water which accumulates on the elevating water from the water 15 operative so as to rotatably drive the fan blades 18 casing, and fan blades carried by said shaft for and I9 and cause travel of belt or belts 25. The v traveling belt or belts 25 movethrough the water in the bottom pan or receptacle 5 so as to take up some of such water and elevate-it into the 20 upper open-ended casingl. As the fan blades l8 and l9 revolve rapidly, they cause -,a rapid flow of I air through the casing 1 and also draw the water from the belt or belts and break the same up into a line spray as well as centrifugally throw- 25 ing the same outwardly against the walls of the casing 1. This simple moistening and cooling of air is had by a single operation in the device of Figure 4 and is repeated by the second set of fan blades in the construction of Figure 2. Obviously, where still greater capacity is desired, more than two sets of blades may be provided. The air flowing through the casing I will of course conwater from the belt so as to break up such water and centrifugally throw the same outwardly against the walls of the casing in the path of the air flowing through the latter.

2. An air conditioning apparatus comprising a water pan or receptacle having a laterally restricted central longitudinal top opening and provided along the sides of said top opening with a depending angular flange, an open-ended casing removably mounted upon said water pan and provided with a bottom opening registered with the top opening of the water pan so that excess moisture may drain by gravity from said casing back into said water pan, said casing having depending flanges along the sides of said bottom opening thereof fitting in the top opening of said water pan, a shaft arranged in and concentric with the longitudinal axis of said casing, a belt driven by said shaft for elevating water from said water pan into said casing, fan blades carried by said shaft for forcing air through the casing and drawing the water from the belt so walls of casing I, so that additional moistening and cooling of the air will be provided in that way. However, excess water accumulating on the walls of casing I will ultimately drain down the latter and back into the water receptacle or pan -5 through the bottom opening of easing I and'the 40 top opening of said pan or receptacle 5.

In practice, apparatus constructed in accordance with'the present invention has been found to operate with great efiiciency. It will be seen that the fan blades form a dual function in causing flow of air through the casing 1 and breaking up and spraying the water elevated by the belt 25.

Minor changes in certain details of the invention illustrated and described, are contemplated mfi m and scope of the invention as said water pan, said belt passing around said What we claim as new is: idler pulley- 1. An air conditioning apparatus comprising a water pan or receptacle having a top opening 5 in} the casing and 'operatively connected to said shaft for rotatably driving the latter, a frame mounted on the depending flange of the water pan, and a T- shape support having a cross member connecting the sides of said frame and a depending member carrying an idler pulley at its lower. end within and below the water level of RALPH D. MA'I'IESON. WILLIAM B. THOMAS.

forcing air through the casing and drawing the as to break up the same and throw it outwardly- 1 against the sides of said casing, a motor mounted 

